Report Warns of Contaminated Central Minnesota Groundwater

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A new report says up to 60 percent of the groundwater monitoring wells sampled across central Minnesota are contaminated with nitrates well above the safe drinking water standard.

The report released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Thursday says some affected cities include Becker, Clear Lake, Cold Spring, Hastings, Goodhue, Adrian and Park Rapids.

Nitrate contamination can lead to illnesses such as "blue baby syndrome," a fatal blood disorder in infants. The chemicals can enter groundwater from sources like animal manure and agricultural fertilizers. Many small cities are spending millions of dollars to address the problem.

Gov. Mark Dayton says the report "underscores the urgent need to ensure that all Minnesotans have clean water." He says he looks forward to discussing the report at his water summit on Saturday.